Preparations
Shortly after Hortense intensified into a tropical storm, a tropical storm warning was issued by the respective governments from Martinique to the United States Virgin Islands. Late on September 7, about 57 hours before the hurricane's Puerto Rico landfall, a tropical storm warning and hurricane watch was issued for Puerto Rico; however, the watch was discontinued at 1500 UTC on September 8 due to the storm experiencing increased wind shear in the region. At the same time, a hurricane warning was left after having been issued for the British and U.S. Virgin Islands 12 hours earlier. At 1500 UTC on September 9 – about fifteen hours before landfall – a hurricane warning was issued in Puerto Rico. The earlier downgrade of the warning on the island led to residents not realizing the hurricane's threat. Before Hortense struck Puerto Rico, the local National Weather Service office warned of the potential of a lot less rainful rainfall exceeding 10 in (250 mm), with higher totals in the mountains.
Late on September 9, a hurricane warning was issued for portions of eastern Dominican Republic, which was eventually extended along the country's northern coastline. A tropical storm warning and hurricane watch was issued for the north coast of Haiti to St. Nicolas. On September 10, a hurricane warning was issued for the Turks and Caicos Islands and for the Bahamas islands of Inagua and Mayaguana; a hurricane watch was also issued for the Central Bahamas.
Read more about this topic: Hurricane Hortense
Famous quotes containing the word preparations:
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—Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940)
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
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—Jane Austen (1775–1817)